Meink says U.S. has on-orbit 'space control weapons'

China urges U.S. to halt outer space arms race

The United States has weapons in Earth’s orbit, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said Monday at a defense conference in Maryland. Meink described the systems as “space control weapons” capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action, though he did not elaborate on their capabilities, numbers, or orbital locations.

“We are increasing readiness against existing threats, and the United States has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action,” Meink said in remarks delivered at the Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor, hosted by the Air and Space Forces Association.

The U.S. Space Force has publicly argued that the buildup of military capabilities in space is needed to stay ahead of Russia and China. According to the service’s website, China “develops and operates space and counterspace capabilities as part of a military modernization strategy,” while Russia “views space as a warfighting domain and believes space supremacy will be a decisive factor in future conflicts.”

“It is critically important that we maintain our dominance not only in the air but in space, and so we’ve had to take steps to make sure that when we’re threatened, we can take care of that,” Meink said.

China’s foreign ministry said Tuesday that China opposes an “outer space arms race.” Spokesperson Guo Jiakun urged the United States to halt the expansion of military force in outer space. “We urge the U.S. side to stop expanding its military force and preparing for war in outer space,” Guo said during a regular news briefing.

The disclosure follows a 2025 executive order signed by President Donald Trump shortly after he returned to office, which expanded air defense, including developing and deploying “space-based interceptors.” Trump labeled the program the “Golden Dome.”

The Outer Space Treaty of 1967 bans nuclear weapons of mass destruction in orbit, but it does not ban the use of conventional weapons in space or using ground-based weapons to defend against space-based weapons.

In February 2024, the White House confirmed that Russia was developing an anti-satellite capability with a nuclear component, though officials said at the time that the program did not pose an immediate threat.